How to Preserve Fresh Fruit in the Freezer - The NO Sugar Method

Summertime is one of my favorite times of year.  The world is green (at least where I live), it is warm, and fruit and vegetables are readily available.  

I love making smoothies in the summer, but am always a little rankled by how expensive the frozen fruit is.  Adding fresh fruit doesn't give you the same cold quality, and adding ice waters your smoothie down, so I always prefer to use at least one kind of frozen fruit. 

A few weeks ago, I realized that I could buy extremely cheap, in-season, fresh fruit that would freeze terrifically and easily for a fraction of the cost of most pre-frozen fruit.  

It will take you about 10 minutes over two days, and a shelf in the freezer.  It can't get much easier than this.  

You can use the frozen fruit in ice creams, smoothie bowls and smoothies.  They are a perfect staple for your cool summer treats!

Ingredients

• Fresh, ripe fruit* (Peaches, Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Nectarines, etc)
• A rimmed metal baking sheet
• Wax paper, or a silicone mat
• A large tupperware for long-term storage

*Creative Green Living recommends purchasing these ingredients as organic where available to avoid GMOs, pervasive pesticides and/or questionable farming practices.

Directions

STEP 1 

Carefully rinse all your fruit in a large colander, or mesh strainer, removing stems and any dirt from the fruit.

STEP 2

If using stone fruit (cherries, nectarines, peaches, etc), slice the fruit in half and remove the pit. Peel if desired (I usually leave the peels on but you do you).

STEP 3

Slice the fruit up into chunks, or slices, whichever is easier.

STEP 4

Prepare your baking sheet by lining it with a silicone mat or wax paper.  

STEP 5

Place your fruit in an even layer in your baking sheet, being sure not to overlap the fruit.

STEP 6

Cover and freeze overnight.

STEP 7

Remove the frozen fruit from the pan, place in a food storage container or plastic bag and keep in the freezer until ready to use.

Enjoy!

About the Author:

Landen runs Measure and Whisk, a cooking blog with a focus on real food. She is a firm believer that quality is superior to quantity, and prefers small amounts of good food over large quantities of cheap food. Deeply disappointed in cheap bacon, she prefers to buy $6 bacon less frequently. Because of this, she typically cooks vegetarian meals for her family.    

Her blog also features photos of her baby, Fox, and suggestions on how to live an eco-friendly and minimalist life, both in and out of the kitchen. Follow her on Pinterest and Instagram for beautiful food photos and pictures of baby Fox.

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